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Physical (Biological) Anthropologists Include: Group of answer choices paleoanthropologists cultural anthropologists osteologists linguistic anthropologists forensic anthropologists geologists

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Biological anthropology focuses on the study of the origins, evolution, and diversity of humans and their primate relatives, with subfields including paleoanthropologists, osteologists, and forensic anthropologists, each contributing to our understanding of human history.

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What Is Biological Anthropology?

Biological anthropology, also known as physical anthropology or evolutionary anthropology, is a field that explores the origins, evolution, and diversity of humans and their primate relatives. It is a subfield of anthropology that delves into questions about what it means to be human by examining our deep past. The five specific subfields of biological anthropology include paleoanthropologists, osteologists, forensic anthropologists, primatologists, and genetic anthropologists.

Paleoanthropologists focus on the fossil evidence and evolutionary milestones of human ancestors. Osteologists study the structure and function of the skeleton. Forensic anthropologists apply skeletal analysis and techniques in the context of law enforcement, often to solve crimes. Each of these subfields contributes to our understanding of human origins and variation, which in turn provides a broader context to how we relate to and interact with our natural world and its history.

Biological anthropology has undergone significant changes over its history. The transition in the 1950s, led by Sherwood Washburn, from a focus on racial typology to an emphasis on human evolution and the evolutionary process, exemplifies the ongoing evolution of the field. Equipped with an interdisciplinary approach, biological anthropologists study human traits, fossils, genetics, and our closest animal relatives, the primates, aiming to piece together the puzzles of human existence and evolution.

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Final answer:

Biological anthropology is the study of human origins, evolution, and diversity through subfields like paleoanthropology, primatology, bioarchaeology, genetic anthropology, and forensic anthropology. It explores the deep past, examining fossils, genetics, and living primates to understand human adaptation and cultural development. This field is a cornerstone of anthropology, providing insights into the human condition across time and space.

Step-by-step explanation:

What is Biological Anthropology?

Biological anthropology, also known as physical anthropology, delves into the deep past of human evolution and the broader questions of what it means to be human. This field includes several subfields such as paleoanthropology, which studies human and primate evolution; primatology, the study of nonhuman primates; and bioarchaeology, the study of human bones found at archaeological sites. Other areas include genetic anthropology and forensic anthropology, both of which apply various scientific methods to understand human origins, evolution, and diversity.

Physical anthropologists are dedicated to understanding human adaptation, variability, and evolution through extensive studies of living and fossil relatives. Contributions to the field were made by Sherwood Washburn, who in 1951, introduced a new physical anthropology that oriented the discipline away from racial typologies and towards the study of human evolution. This shift has led to an expanded field that includes the study of primates as well as early hominins, aiding in charting the course of human evolution.

Biological anthropology is crucial for understanding the emergence and development of human culture. It employs a multifaceted approach to piece together the human story, looking at genetic makeup, the fossil record, and the biological diversity of modern humans. This broad perspective on human life is integral to anthropological study, which extends to every conceivable aspect of human existence across time and space.

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